Delbert Miller

Delbert “sm3tcoom” Miller 

Skokomish (tuwaduq) Elder, Spiritual Leader & Culture Bearer 

Delbert “sm3tcoom” Miller is a respected Skokomish (tuwaduq) elder, traditional healer, master  carver, artist, drummer, singer, and storyteller from Skokomish Nation, Washington. 

Sm3tcoom was raised on the Skokomish Indian Reservation learning traditional skills, songs,  stories, and ceremonies from his elders. He began working at a young age and has served in many  roles, including Logger, Federal law enforcement officer, Skokomish Tribal Historic Preservation  Officer and Chemical dependency councilor. He integrates these traditional Skokomish cultural  practices into modern wellness and mental health programs. 

Delbert is a nationally recognized culture bearer, lecturer, oral historian, as well as a drummer and  singer. He is dedicated to revitalizing the tuwaduqutSid language and ancestral teachings. As a  traditional artist and cultural leader, he creates works with deep ceremonial and spiritual significance  and mentors apprentices in a unique style of carving, weaving, and cultural protocols. 

His major achievement is the fulfillment of a vision he received as a child, the Skabob House (t3k t3k  saya), the first dedicated Doctor House in Puget Sound in nearly 200 years. As the spiritual father of  t3k t3k saya, he provides leadership and healing. For the last 9 years, he has spent devotedly and  with absolute faith to build it from the ground up. The opening ceremony was held in 2023.  

Founded by sm3tcoom as a nonprofit organization, Skabob House serves as a cultural center for  healing, ceremonies, intergenerational teaching, and the arts. 

He has received numerous awards, including the First Peoples Fund Community Spirit Award  (2014), NACF Mentor Artist Fellowship (2017), and the 2024 Ecotrust Indigenous Leadership  Award.